Contact-former or line-tapper.



Patented July 19,1910.

55 ChaxLesAB G. A. BEGHTOL.

CONTACT FORMER OR LINE TAPPER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 190B.

CHARLES A. BEGHTOL, 0F CANON CITY, COLORADO.

CONTACT-FORMER on LINE-TAPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 19, 1910.

Application filed July 3, 1908. Serial No. 441,868.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. BEoH'roL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canon City, in the county of Fremont and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Contact-Formers or Line-Tappers, of which the following is a s ecification.

ThlS invention relates to electrical fixtures, and more particularly to contact formers or line tappers, and has for an object to provide a device of this character which may be applied to ceiling blocks or cleats, sockets, receptacles, lamps, cut-outs, etc., and which will be so constructed whereby a contact may be made with an insulated wire without peeling the same or seriously mutilating it.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the above described character whereby contact may be made with insulated wires without disturbing or severing the same.

A very important object of the invention is to provide such a device which will insure engagement of the conductor by the contact member, allowing a considerable range in the location of the conductor transversely of the contact maker. A serious shortcoming of previous devices of this nature has been that the means for holding the conductor has usually constituted a grooved member, the groove being of a considerably larger size than the conductor casing and allowing some play of the members therein; or if held firmly, the conductor may be disposed ofi' the axis of the contact maker, or may not be located exactly in the center of its insulatin envelop, and by the use of the present invention such differences in the matter of location of the conductor will not interfere with the proper function of the contact maker.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and it will be understood that changes 1n the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without de arting from the spirit of the invention.

n the drawin s forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Fi re 1 is a perspective view of a ceiling bloc showing the application of the present invention thereto, Flg, 2 1s a detail transverse sectional view on the hue drawings, there is shown a ceiling block comprising separable members 5 and 6 respectively of insulating material.

The member 6, upon its upper face, and adjacent to each end is provided with a transversely extending semicircular recess 7, and this member is also provided with vertically disposed threaded passages 8 which open at their upper ends in the recesses 7. The member 6 is provided with a socket portion 9 of any suitable construction arranged to receive an incandescent bulb 10. The member 5, upon its under side, and adjacent to each end 1s rovided with a transversely disposed semicircular recess 11 arranged to lie 1n registering opposition to the recesses 7 formed in the member 6, and these recesses .thus receive line wires 12 of insulated construction. The member 6 is also provided with a centrally located threaded passage 13 arranged to receive a clampin screw 14 or similar fastening device carried by the member 5 wherebythe members 5 and 6 may be firmly held together.

. slightly spaced from the plane of the meeting faces of the sections. It will thus be apparent that whether the line wires 12 are disposed centrally of the recesses or not, they will be in position to be engaged by the blade. Also, as the blade does not project into the recess of the opposite member, there is no liability of the conduting member being entirely severed. After the members 5 and 6 are pro erly assembled the screw .14 may be engage in the passage 13 whereby the two members are effectively claniped together. Upon operation of the screw 14 to clamp the members and 6 it is obvious that the knife blade of each screw at the ends of the member 6 will puncture or slit the insulation of its respective wire to form contact therewith. Each screw or threaded shank is provided with a transversely disposed passage 19 adjacent to its lower end for the reception of the wires connecting the lamp to the socket 9.

In the modified form 'of my invention shown in Fig. 5 a screw 20 of ordinary construction is provided including a head 21 therefor having the usual transversely disposed slot 22 formed therein, and in this form of my invention it will thus be seen that screws of ordinary construction may be employed, and as shown in Fig. 5, a knife blade 23 is inserted in the groove and may be secured thereto by welding it to the head or the like.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 6 a screw 24 is provided including a head 25 therefor which is provided with a transversely disposed dove tailed groove 26 for the reception of the dove tailed end 27 of a knife blade 28. y

In the form of my invention shown .in Fig. 7, a screw 29 is provided which carries a washer 30 and a nut 31, and upon reference to this figure it will be seen that a wire may be conveniently clamped between the washer and nut.

It will thus be seen that a simple, cheap and effective device is provided which may be constructed on the lines described, and which may be used in connection with electrical fixtures of various description, and effectively serves as a contact former which may be used without greatly mutilating the wire or without disturbing the same as will be readily understood.

What is claimed is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a contact former or line tapper comprising an attaching shank, a head carried thereby and an insulation cutting blade carried by the head and extending laterally at right angles to the major axis of the device.

2. As an article of manufacture, a contact former or line tapper comprising a headed shank and a transversely extending blade carried by the head and reaching its periphery on opposite sides for the purposes indicated.

3. As an article of manufacture, a contact former or line tapper comprising a threaded shank including a head therefor, and an inverted V-shaped insulation cutting blade carried by the head, said blade projecting longitudinally therefrom and eX- I cesses formed centrally of the last named grooves and passages opening therefrom; and headed shank members engaged in the passages, the heads thereof being disposed within the recesses, and insulation cutting blades carried bythe heads projecting longis tudinally outward thereof and extending transversely of the grooves, and means for clamping the two members together for the compression of electrical conductors in the grooves and against the blades for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. BEGHTOL.

Witnesses:

WM. B. WALDO, MABELLE HOOYER. 

